How to fall asleep effectively!

Sometimes sleep just won't come. This is a breathing exercise invented by me that helps to fall asleep. Works every time for me!

The exercise is repetitious so when you reach the end and haven't fallen asleep, start over. First, lay on your back and relax EVERY muscle starting from your toes and working your way up.

Next, start breathing deeply and sort of guiding your breathing to reach the lower abdominal area. Think about a balloon blowing and emptying under your bellybutton. Breathe deeply 5 times or so.

Next, move the balloon to your sides and think that now you have 2 of them. With every inhale your sides widen and with every exhale they narrow. Again do about 5 deep breaths.

Move the balloon again to the centre of your stomach so that every inhale gives you a "pregnant belly". Again do 5.

Next, place the balloon under your chest so that only your chest goes up and down when you do the 5 deep breaths.

Then try to breathe "into your shoulders" by relaxing them a bit more with every inhale. After this, if it hasn't worked yet, go back to the balloon under your bellybutton. Remember to relax!

You will notice that focusing on breathing automatically tires you and breathing relaxes you. You have to take real focus on every breath to reach the right spot and inhale deeply and slowly.

I hope this will work for other people too :) sweet dreams! ...ZzzZZzz...